Superior amenities at our hospitals

34 Private rooms

Televisions

Telephones

Nonsmoking

Free WiFi

Interpreter services

Courtyard

Pet friendly

See our hospital

We proudly display our Gold Seal of Approval™

Joint Commission Accreditation

By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for healthcare quality and safety, our hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission.

Take a virtual tour

Leadership at our hospital

Meet the leadership and staff at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County

ROBERT RUSSELL

Chief Executive Officer

Robert Russell has been in healthcare since 1974. He started his career as a registered respiratory therapist and entered healthcare administration in 1982.

Robert Russell has been in healthcare since 1974. He started his career as a registered respiratory therapist and entered healthcare administration in 1982. Robert is currently the chief executive officer (CEO) at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County. Prior to Encompass Health, Robert was CEO for Kindred Hospital in Atlanta, Ga.. Prior to Kindred, Robert served as COO of Atlanta Medical Center for several years. Robert also served as vice president and senior project manager for Grady Health System where he was responsible for customer service, education, international affairs and all projects. He has held similar positions in healthcare organizations in Milwaukee, Wis. and Philadelphia, Pa.. Robert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory therapy and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia.

DR. JAY MEYTHALER

Medical Director

Dr. Meythaler was a professor of medicine with tenure at Wayne State University and is board certified in both brain injury medicine and spinal cord injury medicine.

Dr. Meythaler is the medical director for Encompass Health Shelby County, which opened in April 2018. He was a professor of medicine with tenure at Wayne State University and is board certified in both brain injury medicine and spinal cord injury medicine. He has had a distinguished entrepreneurial background in medicine, being a founder of two academic programs of PM&R with residencies at the University of Virginia and Wayne State University. He has been a residency director or fellowship director in three different medical schools and has been a departmental chair for more than 12 years. Dr. Meythaler is well known as a brain injury physician and has been the private investigator onthe National Institute of Health clinical trials center, and a private investigator or co-private investigator on traumatic brain injury model systems at two universities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Control and Research Center as well as an investigator on two spinal cord injury model systems. Dr. Meythaler has been a private investigator on numerous investigator-initiated grants from the NIH,National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Food and Drug Administration, CDC and various foundations. He has more than 150 publications and several patents that were the basis of two pharmaceutical companies, and his research expertise has been predominately in neurophysiology, neurorecovery and neuropharmacology and currently is the author of the Principles of Neuropharmacology chapter in the last two brain injury textbooks. He performed the first significant randomized trial with the use of amantadine for TBI and was one of the original developers of intrathecal baclofen, tizanidine and the use of SSRIs in neurologic recovery. He has developed systems of care for various clinical conditions such brain injury, Guillain-Barré syndrome and spinal cord injury recovery that resulted in the above grants, as well as teaching programs.

DOUGLAS BLACKWELL

Plant Operations Director

Douglas brings more than 40 years of experience in healthcare roles ranging from biomedical and maintenance technician to the of director of plant operations.

Douglas brings more than 40 years of experience in healthcare roles ranging from biomedical and maintenance technician to the of director of plant operations. His responsibilities have included overseeing construction projects, major renovation projects, and cost-saving energy management programs. Doug has successfully taken part in more than 12 Joint Commission accreditation surveys including a Joint Commission survey overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. His accomplishments include teamwork appreciation awards, two-time winner of the “non-clinical” manager of the year awards, employee of the year award and hosting an annual charity golf tournament for 17 years.

PHYLLIS CASEY

Controller

Phyllis brings more than 30 years of healthcare accounting and operations experience to Encompass Health.

Phyllis brings more than 30 years of healthcare accounting and operations experience to Encompass Health. Phyllis spent her college years at Auburn University, finishing up and working on her MBA at UAB. She has served in various controller and/or CFO roles in large and small organizations across the Southeast including Carolinas Healthcare, Community Healthcare Systems, Acadia Healthcare, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She began her healthcare career at a start-up HMO here in Birmingham and knew from that point that she wanted to work in the healthcare environment. She thrives on helping people who help patients. In her free time, Phyllis enjoys spending time with her husband, their blended families and her 3 dogs.

CYNTHIA S. GARRETT, DNP, MSN, RN

Interim Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Case Management

Cynthia brings more than 25 years of clinical and administrative experience to Encompass Health.

Cynthia S. Garrett joined Encompass Health in January of 2018 as director of case management for Encompass Health Shelby County. She has more than 25 years of clinical and administrative experience ranging from patient support within experience in: pediatrics, medical surgical, hematology/oncology, obstetrics, inpatient and outpatient case management, cost containment, quality and utilization review to operations including development of an advanced primary care network of internal medicine providers and transforming several of their practice in order to achieve recognition as patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Prior to joining Encompass Health, Garrett was assistant corporate director of case management for DCH Health System, educator in the Nursing Center of Excellence at UAB, director of advanced primary care at Baptist Health System, director of medical management at Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation, outcomes manager at St. Vincent’s Birmingham and as an independent healthcare consultant. Garrett completed her undergraduate and master’s degree studies at Samford University and received her doctorate from the University of Alabama. When she is not working secularly, she often engages in community service in the role of a Parish Nurse.

Sumer Herald

Director of Case Management

Sumer has been employed a Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, since 2014 and was named director of case management in 2018.

Sumer has been employed a Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, since 2014 and was named director of case management in 2018. She brings more than six years of clinical social work experience to Encompass Health of Shelby County. Sumer is a certified case manager and earned her master’s degree in social work at the University of Alabama.

BETH JACKSON

Director of Quality

Beth Jackson brings more than 30 years of leadership and clinical experience to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County as a transfer from HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Fredericksburg.

Beth Jackson brings more than 30 years of leadership and clinical experience to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County as a transfer from HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Fredericksburg. She joined the Encompass Health network originally at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Virginia in 2014, where she served as director of quality and risk management. Shortly after, Beth had the opportunity to serve both HealthSouth Northern Virginia and HealthSouth Fredericksburg in a dual role as a quality / risk director and interim chief nursing officer. Prior to her career with Encompass Health, Beth served as the statewide director for the division of trauma, designation and stroke categorization for the State of West Virginia, where she had oversight of all West Virginia hospital trauma designations and stroke center categorizations. She has many years of experience in quality and performance improvement within Virginia, West Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi. Her clinical experiences consist of director of the operating room, post anesthesia care, emergency department, critical care, organ procurement coordinator, infection control practitioner and case management. Beth graduated from Alderson Broaddus College in Philippi, West Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

CLARA PITTS

Director of Human Resources

Clara has more than 20 years of human resources experience, with ten of those years in the health care environment.

Clara Pitts joined Encompass Health in November of 2017 to serve as the director of human resources. She has more than 20 years of human resources experience, with ten of those years in the health care environment. She has a strong human resources background with emphasis on employee relations and development. Clara completed her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Faulkner Christian University and her master’s degree in human resources management from Troy State University. She is SPHR certified (Senior Professional of Human Resources.) Clara is active in her church and enjoys spending time with her grandson.

ANNA PATE VANDERBLEEK, PharmD

Director of Pharmacy

Anna has been employed at Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, since 2014 and was named director of pharmacy in 2018

Anna has been employed at Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, since 2014 and was named director of pharmacy in 2018. She brings six years of pharmacy experience to Encompass Health Shelby County. Anna earned her doctorate degree in pharmacy from Auburn University.

SHANNON WIGGINS, MS, CCC-SLP

Director of Therapy Operations

Shannon brings more than 15 years of clinical and management experience to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County.

Shannon has been practicing as a speech-language pathologist in acute care, outpatient and post-acute care since 2002. She brings more than 15 years of clinical and management experience to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Shelby County. Shannon graduated from the University of South Alabama with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.